Wind recording device



March 25, 1941. G. RANDL I WIHD RECORDING DEVICE Filed Sept. 23, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 0502265 1-?,4 NDL BY W x'rToRNEY March 25, 1941. G RANDL 2.236,114

WIND RECORDING DEVICE i Filed Sept. 23, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 /f f? MIU' 57 INVENTOR' 950,?05 /PA/vL SWI? f 'ATTORNEY March 25, 1941:.

G. RANDL v WIHD RECORDING DEVICE 3 Sheets- Sheet 5 Filed sept. 23, 1939 w mi 'INVENT l 50965 /P MRNEY Paiented Mar. 25, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE WND RECORDING DEVICE George Randl, Idaho Springs; Colo. Application September 234, 1939, Serial No. 296232 4 Claims.

This invention relate to a combination recording anemometer and wind direction recorder and has for its principal object the provision of a simple, eificient, and accurate device which will delineate a continuous and constant record of both the speed and direction of the wind at all hours of the day. i

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency.

These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all Views of the drawings and throughoutthe description.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the impro'ved Wind speed and direction recording device.

Fig. 2 illustrates a typical record sheet as produced by the recording mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the complete recording mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detali view illustrating the record drum and its recording sheets.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross section through the complete device taken on the line 5-5, Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged horizontal section. through the wind responsive member portion of the device taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 1.

The improved wind recording device is mounted as a unit upon a suitable base lil from-which a supporting frame structurev Il arises. The ro- V tative eifort for driving the Velocity recording mechanism is transmitted to the device from a Vertical anemometer shaft [2 extending upwardly through the roof of the building or enclosure in which the mechanism is housed. The upper extremity of the shaft l2 terminates in a wind responsive member consisting of two wheel-like members l3 between the periph'eries of which Vertical V-shaped air pookets M eXtend.V The pockets are so positioned on the wheel-like members that their open sides at one side face the wind regardless of the direction from whence it comes so that the shaft l2 will be rotated when- 'ever there is `a wind movement.

The rotative efiort to operate the wind direction recording mechanism is obtained from a vane shaft IE extending upwardly sufficiently far to place a wind vane Hi in the wind flow. The wind vane is fixedly secured on the upper extremity of the shaft 15. It is preferredv to place T the wind vane at a higher elevation than the wind responsive member to prevent interference therefrom.

The wind responsive member shaft |2 drives a horizontal shaft l'l through'the medium of suitable miter gears |3. The horizontal shaft l'l is 5 joined to a governor shaft E9 through the mediurn of a suitable, flexible coupling 23 which prevents vibration in thehorizontal shaft from-'affecting the accuracy of the governor shaft.

The governor shaft E9 is horizontally jour- 10 nalled in the frame |'l` in suitable bearings 2l and is prevented from axial movem-ent therein by means of suitable set collars 22. The governor` shaft carries two governor mechanisms, one consisting of a plurality of heavy weights 23 mounted on fiexible leaf Springs 24 and the other consisting of a plurality of relatively light weights 25 mounted on leaf springs 23.

One extremity of each ofthe springs 23 is secured to a governor fitting 21 ,fixedly' attached to the shaft 19 by means of set screws or other delvices. The other extremity of each of the Springs 23 is secured to a hub 28 carrying a clutch face plate 29. The hub28 is grooved to receive the forked lower extremity of a yok-e lever 30which 25 is pivoted at 3| on one/'of the frame members ll.

One extremity ofeach of4 the heavy weight Springs 24 is secured to'a second hub 32 on a second clutch face plate 33. The hub 23 rotates with the shaft 13 but is free to move axiallyl 30 thereon under the pull'of the weights 25. The hub member 32 and the 'face plate 33 are free to rotate on the shaft l3 but are prevented from moving axially thereon by a set collar 35. The other extremities of the 'springs Bit are fixed to. a governor, fitting 34 which is free to move axially of and to rotate upon the shaft |9 under the influence of7 the weights A23. The springs 23 are normally fiexed to hold the clutch plate 29 against the clutch plate 33 to rotate the 'latter 40 with the shaft. The fitting 33 is groovedto receive the forked lower extremity of a second yoke lever 33 which is pivoted to one of the `frame members` l and 31'. v v

The governor weights 23 control a high Velocity' 45 recording arm 33 and the governor Weights 23 control a low Velocity recording arm 38.` -The yoke lever 30 is connected to its arm 39 by means of a suitable connecting rodil. Th-e yoke'lever 36 is connected-to the arm 33 through a reverse' `50 motion lever M .by means of suitable connecting rods 42 and 43. I h o The recordingarms 33 and 39 are mounted on a common pivot -pin `44, on -a member. of, the frame Il'; at their other'extremity to formmarking points 45 which rest on a record drum 46 to be later described.

The vane shaft l5 is connected directly to a horizontal cam disc 41 on the lower face of which a spiral series of cam bosses 48 are arranged. Each cam boss is positioned at a different radial distance from the disc axis and on a different radial line from the others. The cam bosses col'respond in number to the different Compass directions for which an indication is desired. Any desired number of bosses may be employed. In the embodiment illustrated there are eight bosses, one for each cardinal direotion (N, E, S, VV) and one for each intermediate quadrant (NE, SE, SW, NW).

A series of cam levers 49 are hinged on a lever shaft 50 beneath the disc 47.. Each cam lever is provided with a projecting cam 5| and all of the latter are aligned on a radius of the disc 41 in alignment With the paths of the cam bosses'll.

Each of the cam levers is .connected to an individual direotion indicating arm 52, all of which are pivoted on a common rocker shaft 55, by means of a connecting rod or Wire 54 and a tension spring 55 so that downward movement of the levers Will pull the arms downwardly. The arms are constantly urged upward by means of lift Springs 53 acting on the opposite side of the rocker shaft 55. The latter springs also serve to hold the caml levers 49 against the bottom of the cam disc. The tension Springs 55 are relatively stiffer than the lift Springs 53 so that they can operate against the latter. The extremities of the arms 52 are turned downward to form marking points 65.

The recording drum 45 preferably .consists of a hollow metallic drum mounted to rotate in suitable bearings 51 and driven by a uniform slowspeed mechanism such as a spring actuatedclock motor 58. A record sheet 59, such as shown in detail in Fig. 6, is first Wrapped about the drum. A sheet of carbon paper is then wrapped over the record sheet. A third protective paper sheet 6| may be placed about the carbon paper, although this is not essential.

The record sheet is Vprinted or lithographed with a series of eight, peripheral wind direotion columns 52 headed with the compass directions N, NE, E, etc. It also contains a peripheral series of miles-per-hour columns 63. The sheet is divided into time intervals by means of a series of laterally extending time division lines 64.

Operation Let us assume that the record sheets are in place on the drum 46 and the latter is rotating under the influence of the clock motor' 58. Should a five-mile per hour breeze spring up from the north, the wind responsive member will rotate and the vane |6 will swing to the '*North position. The movement of the Vane will bring the "North cam boss over its lever 49 causing the latter to pull its recording arm 52 downwardly so that its marking point will contact the sheets on the drum to offset a line in the "North column on the record sheet. This line will continue until the wind direotion Veers from the north position.

Simultaneously the wind responsive member will rotate the governor shaft IS and the governor weights thereon. The relatively slow speed of the wind will not be suflicient to expand the light weights 25 but will be sufficient to expand the heavy weights 23. The latter in scparating will pull the fitting 34 inward and swing the low Velocity lever 38 from its "0 column to the 5 miles per hour column causing a carbon record curve to be made on the record Sheet.

The low Velocity lever will continue to record all changes until a Velocity of, say, 25 miles per hour is reached. The centrifugal action of the light weights is now sufiicient to cause them to expand the Springs 26 and pull the clutch face 29 from the clutch face 33. This allows the heavy weights to cease rotating, since they are driven only by the clutch fac'es, and causes the lever 30 to transmit movement to the high vejlocity arm 39. The low Velocity arm 38 now moves to its (l column and the arm 39 begins to del-ineatea curve in the higher Velocity columns as indicated in Fig. 2. Any changes in wind dlrection during this time will be recorded as straight lines in the respective wind direotion columns.

By having a separate governor for the low and high Velocity winds, respectively, a much greater accuracy can be obtained and Winds of exceedingly low Velocity can be recorded.

It can be readily seen that the operator can ascertain instantly from the record sheet for any the prediction of the Weather conditions of areas 1.

in which these devices are placed.

The machine is especially useful for isolated unattended stations Where electricity is not available and where it must operate for long periods without attention. The carbon paper makes the device independent of uncertain ink or pencil supplies and requires no attention after the sheets are in place. In the present machines the drums are set to revolve once in eight days.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be Varied, Within the scope of the appended claims, Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I-Iaving thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A wind recorder comprising: a wind Vane; a disc rotated by said vane; a plurality of cam members on said disc, there being one cam member for each wind direotion; a series of cam follower arms adjacent said disc, each of said arms being in the path of one of said cam members; a traveling recording chart; and marking arms. positioned in marking relation to said chart, 'each marking arm being operatively connected to one of the said follower arms so that when the latter is actuated, it will bring its marking arm into contact with the chart.

2. A Wind direotion recorder comprising: a Vertical Vane shaft; a Weather Vane on said shaft for rotating the latter in Vaccordance with changes in wind direotion; a cam disc mounted on said Vane shaft; a spiral seriesV of cams on said cam member, each positioned a different radial distance from the aXis of said shaft and on a different radial line from the other cams, said cams corresponding in number tov the number of different wind directions desired to be recorded; a series of cam levers hinged adjacent said disc, there being one cam lever overlying the path of each of said cams so as to be actuated by the latter; and recording meansractuated by the movemvents of said levers to record the intervals that each lever is in contact with its cam.

3. A wind direction recorder comprising: a vertical vane shaft; a weather vane on said shaft for rotating the latter in accordance with changes in wind direction; a cam disc mounted on said vane shaft; a spiral series of cams on said cam disc, each positioned a different radial distance from the axis of said shaft and on a different radial line from the other cams, said cams corresponding in number to the number of different directions desired to be recorded; a series of cam levers hinged adjacent said disc, there being one cam lever overlying the path of each of said cams so as to be actuated by the latter; spring means for urging said levers against said cam disc and said cams; a traveling record chart; recording levers over said chart, there being one recording lever for each cam lever; and means for transmitting the movements of said cam levers to said recording levers to cause the latter to record on said chart the intervals that each cam lever is in contact with its cam.

4. A wind direction recorder comprising: a vertical vane shaft; a Weather vane on said shaft for rotating the latter in accordance with changes in Wind direction; a cam disc mounted on said vane shaft; a spiral series of cams on said cam disc, each positioned a different radia] distance from the axis of said shaft and on a different radial line from the other cams, said cams corresponding in number to the number of different Wind directions desired to be recorded, said disc being horizontal, said cams being on the under face thereof; a series of cam levers hinged on a horizontal axis below said disc and lying tangentially ther'eof, there being one of said cam ievers in the path of each cam so as to be contacted and actuated thereby; a rotating recording chart; a series of recording levers having their extremities over said Chart; and means for transmitting the cam-actuated, doWnWard movements of said cam levers to said recording arms to bring the latter into recording relation With said chart.

GEORGE RANDL. 

